CHAPTER SEVEN
Sean couldn’t do it anymore. He was in way over his head with Zoe, beyond anything he’d ever thought possible. After Wednesday evening at her place and again tonight out in the cabana, he’d crossed professional lines—and, he feared, emotional ones, too.
Getting close to Zoe should have been about nothing more than doing a job for The Reliance Group, but the guilt of deceiving her was starting to weigh heavily on his mind, and that was something that had never been an issue for him in his prior life.
He’d never allowed his conscience to get the best of him. He’d always managed to keep his eye on the prize and his feelings out of the equation. Outwardly he might have been charming, amicable, and everyone’s best friend, but deep inside he’d been cool, indifferent, and focused, just as his father had taught him.
Nothing had ever interfered with that drive and determination that pushed him toward getting what he ultimately wanted. Even if it meant lying, cheating, and deceiving his target to achieve his goal. It was all part of how the game was played. And with each con, remaining emotionally detached had become easier to do…until the day he’d seen physical proof of what one of the hoaxes he’d been a part of had cost another person.
Sean had only been the “seal-the-deal” guy on the con, the middleman to an old friend who’d set up a wealthy and bored house wife as their mark. The other guy had romanced the woman to gain her interest in making a quick turnaround profit on a bogus investment, and Sean had only stepped in to back up his friend on the deal and collect the cash.
It was only after Sean and his friend had been arrested for fraud in connection with that last scam that Sean had discovered the extent of the damage he’d caused. When he was on trial, he and the jury had been presented with a photograph of the woman he’d exploited. In the picture, her face was swollen and bruised, courtesy of a massive beating by her prick of a husband when he’d discovered she’d lost their savings after being stupid enough to fall for Sean’s scheme.
Sean hadn’t been the one to physically hurt the woman, but he felt just as responsible. He’d been overwhelmed with shame, and he’d known then that something had to change.
That he had to change.
When he’d been sentenced for his part in the con, he’d taken the punishment as his due, though the time he served in prison had probably been more lenient than he’d deserved considering all the past scams he’d gotten away with.
When Caleb had hired him as a bartender for the Onyx, even knowing his history, Sean accepted the chance to start fresh, to put the past behind him and create a new, respectable life for himself—even though he still harbored a ton of guilt for what he’d done.
And now he didn’t want to add Zoe to his long list of regrets.
Working for Caleb, Sean had never found himself in a quandary quite like this, where his relationship with a mark started presenting a direct conflict of interest with the job he was hired to do.
As he walked back into the hotel lobby from the pool area with Zoe on his arm, the turmoil inside of him burned like acid in his stomach. He needed to talk to Caleb and be up-front and honest with the man about what was happening between him and Zoe. Despite still needing to find her father, Sean refused to continue to lead her on emotionally while keeping her in the dark about his true intentions.
“You know what?” Zoe asked, the excitement in her voice pulling him from his troubled thoughts. “I’m feeling lucky tonight. How about you?”
He managed to chuckle as they strolled through the casino area, which was packed with Friday night gamblers. “I’m with you, aren’t I? A guy doesn’t get any luckier than that.”
“You’re such a sweet talker,” she said, smiling up at him, her complexion still glowing from their outdoor tryst and the orgasm he’d given her. “I haven’t played roulette in forever, and it’s calling to me. Can you spot me a twenty?”
“Sure.” He followed her to the game, pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his wallet, and gave it to her, welcoming the new distraction.
She found an open spot at the crowded table and without hesitation placed her entire bet on black. The dealer turned the roulette wheel, then spun the small white ball in the opposite direction. The ball eventually dropped into the pocket for black twenty-four. When the dealer paid out Zoe’s winnings, she gave Sean his twenty back, then let the one still on the table ride for another spin.
She won again, and again, and kept letting the money go another round. For the next half hour Sean watched in fascination as she switched her bet from red to black depending on whichever urge struck her, doubling her bet each time, and the ball seemed to play to her whims.
She kept her attention on the numbers that hit, calculated the odds to the best of her ability, and went with her gut instinct. It served her well, and before long she drew a crowd of spectators around the table to cheer on her success. Some people even placed their bets in accordance to hers and reaped a few wins of their own.
Eventually, she rolled the initial $20 into $320. Instead of taking the money and walking away, in true gambling spirit she took a deep breath and pushed all her chips onto the number black seventeen. Everyone else at the table followed her lead, stacking their bets around hers.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” Sean asked from where he stood beside her.
“Yes, I’m sure.” She met his gaze, her expression bright and exuberant from her recent wins. She grabbed his hand, threading their fingers together. “I have a strong feeling about this one. But win or lose, this is my last bet. I promise.”
The dealer spun the wheel, added the white ball, and Sean found himself holding his breath as the ball bounced from number to number…and finally stopped on black seventeen. Zoe gasped in shock, and the crowd around the table let out whoops and cheers that had everyone in the gaming area looking their way to see what all the commotion was about.
“You won!” Sean said, laughing in disbelief. His mental calculations came up with a payout of over eleven thousand dollars.
“Oh, my God!” She launched herself into his arms and hugged him tight. Caught up in the excitement of the moment, she kissed him in front of everyone, a quick but passionate kiss that openly displayed her feelings for him and garnered cheers from the small crowd around them.
She finally pulled back and beamed up at him. “You must be my good-luck charm!”
He chuckled, still amazed at the amount she’d managed to win…until he caught sight of a very angry-looking man standing just off to the side watching Sean interact with Zoe. Instantly recognizing the guy as Conrad Davenport, Sean realized just how bad this too-intimate situation might look to the other man who’d paid The Reliance Group to track and find Zoe’s father. Conrad looked pissed, and Sean’s main concern was that the other man might say or do something to unwittingly compromise Sean’s investigation.
Sean transferred his gaze back to Zoe and produced one of his charming, easygoing smiles that belied the sudden apprehension swirling in his stomach.
“I see a business associate of mine I’d like to say hello to,” he said, keeping his tone casual. “Why don’t you collect your winnings and cash out your chips and I’ll meet up with you in a few minutes?”
“Sure.” Still basking in the high of her recent win, and oblivious to Sean’s inner unease, she turned back to the roulette table and gathered up her impressive payout.
With Zoe otherwise preoccupied, Sean headed toward Conrad, who wore a dark, furious scowl and was holding a highball glass of amber liquid. As Sean neared, he immediately recognized the signs that indicated the other man was intoxicated. Between the bloodshot, bleary eyes and his being unsteady on his feet, it was apparent that the drink in Conrad’s hand wasn’t his first. Not a good sign.
“Davenport,” Sean said, acknowledging the other man, whom he’d met the day Caleb had briefed him on the Russo case. At that meeting, Conrad had been provided with the initial investigative reports on Russo, which included a picture of his daughter, Zoe, so witnessing the cozy, more-than-friends kiss between Sean and Zoe had no doubt enraged Davenport.
“You being here right now isn’t a good idea,” Sean said calmly, and patted the other man on the back. “Maybe you should go and relax with a good cigar in the players’ lounge.”
Conrad ignored Sean’s suggestion, contempt blazing in his eyes. “What the hell are you doing with that woman?” he demanded, his voice too loud and belligerent.
Obviously, what Sean was doing with Zoe was complicated on many levels, and it didn’t help that Conrad thought the worst as well. “Now isn’t the time or place to have this discussion.”
“Bullshit,” Conrad replied, his words a bit slurred as he waved his glass of liquor in the air, sloshing the liquid over the rim. “It’s been nearly a week since you started on this case. Where the hell is that son of a bitch and the money he owes me?” the other man roared in frustration.
Sean inwardly winced—at the man’s harsh words and the strong fumes of alcohol on his breath. Davenport might be a smart businessman when sober, but he was incredibly stupid and obnoxious when drunk.
“Look, why don’t I get ahold of Caleb, and he’ll explain things to you?” Sean took hold of Davenport’s arm and attempted to guide him toward the security offices before he started attracting too much attention in the casino. People were already looking their way.
Conrad shook Sean off and glared, clearly not done with his drunken tirade. “Grant Russo is off somewhere spending the millions of dollars I invested in his fucking project, and I paid The Reliance Group to find the lying, cheating bastard. Why aren’t you working on that, instead of fooling around with his daughter?”
“Sean, what is he talking about?”
Both Sean’s and Conrad’s heads swiveled to the left to find Zoe standing there, her expression confused and wary.
Oh, shit. Sean’s entire body flashed hot, then cold, as a sinking sensation settled in his chest. How much had she overheard? Sean wondered. Too much, he was certain.
Sean thought fast on his feet and shook his head. “The man’s had a bit too much to drink,” he said, but knew that didn’t explain what Davenport had said or his accusations.
Before Zoe could say anything else, Sean caught sight of Kane Briggs, another TRG member who also worked undercover security in the casino, followed by Valerie, making their way toward them. Relief poured through Sean. Upstairs surveillance must have witnessed the confrontation and contacted Valerie and Kane to diffuse the situation.
As soon as they arrived on the scene they pulled Davenport away from the gaming area, leaving Sean alone with Zoe. Undoubtedly, he needed to talk to her, but first he needed a few minutes with Valerie without Zoe listening in on the conversation.
He grabbed her hand and gave it a light squeeze that did nothing to dispel the skeptical look in her eyes. “Give me a sec to talk to the casino host and I’ll be right back.”
Zoe was the one who pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms over her chest, physically withdrawing from him. “I’ll be here. I think you and I have a few things to discuss.”
Yes, they did. Sean nodded, then strode over to where Kane stood guard beside an irate Davenport while Valerie tried to placate the man and soothe his temper.
As soon as Valerie saw Sean coming, she said something to Kane, who led Davenport away. Before Sean could say a word or blow the fuse that was simmering below the surface, she held up a hand so she could speak first.
“I’m so sorry. I can’t believe he did that,” Valerie said with a shake of her head. As he was one of the casino’s wealthiest Whales, Valerie had known Davenport for a few years and had established a strong business relationship with the man, as was her job as a casino host. She knew him better than anyone else in the casino did.
“Earlier this evening he lost over three hundred thousand dollars at the craps table,” she went on to explain. “He’s been in a bad mood all day, and losing all that money pretty much topped him off. He’s also been on edge with this whole Grant Russo case. Add to that a half-dozen shots of straight-up whiskey, then seeing you kiss Zoe, and he just lost it.”
“Getting shit-faced does not justify what he just did,” Sean said, trying to keep his own temper in check. “He blew my cover, Val, and outted me right in front of Zoe. There is absolutely no question in my mind that she’s thinking about every single fucking word he said and putting two and two together.” It was only a matter of time before the jig was up—and much sooner than Sean had anticipated.
“Are you going to take her up to Caleb’s?” Valerie asked.
“No. Not yet.” Sean knew he was breaking protocol by not immediately involving Caleb in this situation, but Sean had already breached a few of TRG’s rules by getting personally involved with Zoe, so what did it matter now? “Telling her the truth is something I need to do myself.” He owed Zoe that much, even though he knew she’d most likely hate his guts before this night was over.
The thought caused a huge lump of dread to settle in his stomach.
“I’m really sorry this happened,” Valerie said softly, her gaze searching his in a way that made him uneasy because it felt like she was looking right into his soul. “You like her, don’t you?”
Despite Valerie’s perceptive comment, Sean wasn’t about to admit anything to his co-worker. “She’s a nice girl and doesn’t deserve to be hurt by her father’s bullshit.”
Valerie paused for a moment, then asked, “Are you absolutely certain that she’s not involved in, or aware of, her father’s business dealings?”
“I’d bet my life on it,” Sean stated without a shred of doubt. “How about you?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and shrugged. “I don’t know her like you do.”
He almost smiled at Valerie’s nonchalant attitude. “Don’t try to con a con man, Val. What does your women’s intuition tell you about Zoe?” he asked, knowing that Valerie’s insightful observations about people went much deeper than just female insight.
“Honestly, my intuition tells me that if you gambled your life on her being uninvolved, it would be a safe bet,” Valerie said, confirming what Sean already knew in his gut. “You go and do what you have to do with Zoe, and I’ll take care of Davenport.”
They went their separate ways, and Sean met up with Zoe right where he’d left her.
“Care to explain what all that was about?” she asked without preamble. While her voice was calm, her question was direct and to the point. “And please, do not lie to me.”
That last plea felt like a kick to Sean’s midsection. In any other circumstance, he might have done what he did best and smooth-talked his way out of this mess, but he knew it was time to come clean and put the truth out on the table. No more lies or deceiving her, even if it meant shattering the trust he’d worked so hard to build between them.
“We need to talk,” he said, an understatement if there ever was one. “And I’d rather not have the conversation out here in the open. There’s a private room close by. Will you come with me?” After what she’d just witnessed, he wasn’t about to assume she’d go anywhere with him.
She considered his request for a few seconds before replying. “Okay,” she finally said, leading him to believe that her desire for answers must have outweighed any reservation she had about being alone with him.
He started toward the far end of the casino, and she fell into step beside him. Her stiff and guarded body language screamed, Don’t touch me!, and as much as he wanted to slip his hand into hers, or even rest his palm at the base of her spine as they walked side by side, he didn’t dare.
Reaching the bank of elevators, he escorted her into the next empty lift, then withdrew his employee key card from his wallet and swiped it through a reader. He punched the button labeled G1, which took them down to a restricted floor for casino employees. Without a word, she followed him down another short hallway and into the first empty conference room he came to. He turned on the lights and shut the door behind them.
She immediately put distance between them, crossing the room to the other side of the large conference table dominating the area. She might have been quiet this entire time, but her actions now spoke volumes. Outwardly she appeared cool and reserved, and instead of jumping to conclusions and venting her outrage over what she might have overhead between him and Davenport, she was obviously going to try to give Sean the benefit of the doubt in hopes that there was a logical explanation for the other man’s tirade.
God, Sean absolutely hated that he was going to disappoint her and crush any hope she harbored that Davenport’s accusations had all been a huge misunderstanding.
She lifted her chin, seemingly shoring up her strength for what was about to come. “What did that man mean when he said he’d paid some group that you’re obviously a part of to find my father?”
It didn’t escape Sean’s notice that she’d avoided Davenport’s other claim, the one where he’d accused Sean of fooling around with Grant Russo’s daughter while on the job. Which was fine with Sean, since what had transpired between himself and Zoe had nothing to do with the case and everything to do with him falling for the sweet, open, sensual woman she was. And allowing himself to cross those lines between business and pleasure had been a huge mistake on his part.
He exhaled a deep breath, unsure where to start. He decided to open the discussion with Davenport and go from there.
“Conrad Davenport, the man who caused the scene in the casino, is a highly respected businessman from Texas who invested millions of dollars into the development of The Meridian Resort here in Las Vegas.”
A small frown creased her brows as she made the connection. “That’s my father’s current project.”
“Yes, it is.” Sean slowly strolled closer to her and was gratified when she didn’t step away, even though her emotional barriers remained firmly in place. “Did you know that construction on the Meridian project has been at a standstill for almost a month now?”
A casual shrug lifted her shoulders, as if that bit of information wasn’t anything new. “My father mentioned he was having some permit problems with the building and safety departments, and that could easily hold up construction until whatever issues exist are resolved.”
It was a plausible explanation, but Sean knew better. “That’s obviously what your father wants everyone, especially his investors and the press, to believe.”
“Are you saying it’s a lie?” Her voice rose incredulously, and her eyes flashed with anger. “That’s ridiculous! Why else would construction be halted on such a major project?”
He loathed being the one to shatter her illusions, but he had no choice. “Because there isn’t enough money to pay contractors and complete the job because your father has been skimming the coffers for his own personal gain.”
She jerked back as if Sean had slapped her. “You’re wrong! My father would never do such a thing.”
“Zoe,” he asked gently, “do you know where your father is right now?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “He’s on a business trip. He takes them all the time,” she added defensively, trying to justify his reasons for being gone.
“A business trip to where?” Sean persisted.
“Chicago, as far as I know.” Agitated with his line of questioning, she threw her hands up in the air. “Why does it matter where he is, anyway?”
“Because we’ve attempted to track him to Chicago, without any luck at all, and there are a lot of unhappy people who have big money involved in the Meridian project who are trying to locate him.”
Her eyes widened ever so slightly as a flash of realization passed across her features, an oh my God moment that Sean instantly latched onto.
“Do you know something, Zoe?” he asked, keeping his tone even and calm, in the hope that she’d open up and tell him what was going on in that mind of hers.
She shook her head and wouldn’t look him in the eye. “No. Just what I’ve told you.”
Which wasn’t much. Watching her reaction, he’d wager a guess she was hiding something from him. Something important she didn’t want him to know. And now that she no longer had any reason to trust him, she wasn’t about to share anything that would incriminate her father.
“So, tell me something, Sean,” she said, her composure back in place as she finally lifted her gaze to his. “What is your part in all this?”
He scrubbed a hand along his jaw, taking a few moments to choose his words carefully before replying. This was the part of their conversation he wished they could skip altogether, because he knew his answers were going to hurt Zoe. Badly.
But lying wasn’t an option. Not with her.
“Conrad Davenport hired The Reliance Group, the company I work for, to find your father,” Sean said, keeping his explanation as straightforward as possible. “After trying to track Russo and having every lead come to a dead end, I was put on the case to help find your father in a more direct way.”
“Through me,” she said, her voice flat and emotionless.
Her tone might have been apathetic, but her gaze was filled with the pain of complete and utter betrayal. Sean’s stomach cramped at the thought that he was the cause of her misery. “Yes, through you.”
A bitter laugh escaped her and she swept him with a look of contempt. “Are you even who you say you are?”
He buried his fists into the front pockets of his pants. “My name is Sean O’Brien, and I work for the Onyx and The Reliance Group.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “You’re not even a leasing agent, are you?”
“No, it was a cover, but the leasing agreement you signed for the boutique is legal and binding. The store is yours.” He wanted to make sure she knew the contract was the real deal.
“Under false pretenses,” she said heatedly.
He couldn’t argue her point, and if she decided to break the lease under that claim no one would be able to refute her allegation. Sean hoped it wouldn’t become an issue.
“So you lied,” she said, the words more a statement of fact than any kind of question he needed to answer or confirm. “About everything.”
God, the disdainful way she looked at him was killing Sean and made him feel lower than a snake—which was nothing less than he deserved. She believed he’d used her, and he had as a source to find her father, but in no way had Sean faked his attraction to her, as she seemingly thought.
“Not everything was a lie, Zoe.” And he was tempted to prove it with a hot, deep kiss that would leave no hesitation in her mind as to how much he wanted her. Not as a lead to her father but as a woman Sean strongly desired.
“Everything that mattered was a lie, and I was nothing more than a means to an end for you.” She shook her head in disgust and turned away from him. “God, when will I ever learn?” she muttered beneath her breath.
He had no idea what she was talking about. Sean only knew that right now, with her emotions at an all-time high and the sting of deception fresh in her mind, there was no convincing her of his sincerity—that while the parameters of the case dictated he get close to her to find out what she knew about her father’s disappearance, what transpired between her and Sean had been, and was, very real.
She glanced back at him again and dragged her fingers through her hair, pulling the strands away from her now-pale face. “How long were you going to string me along before you told me any of this?”
There was no sugarcoating his answer. “Long enough to find your father.”
She cut him with a look, and more of that scorn flashed in her eyes. “Well, I have to give you credit. You’re good at what you do, Sean. Very convincing, too.”
God, could he feel any more like shit than he already did? Apparently so.
“I just have one last thing to say to you,” she said, her voice strong and unwavering. “I know my father a helluva lot better than you or anyone else does, and whatever is going on, I know there’s a reasonable explanation. He’s a good man, and not the criminal you’re making him out to be.”
Of course Zoe would defend her father. What daughter wanted to believe her parent was corrupt? Sean could have easily marched her up to Caleb’s office and let her read the case file they had on Grant Russo, along with her father’s shady past as a con man. What she discovered would indisputably shake the very foundation of who she believed her father was and leave her devastated.
And that was ultimately the reason why Sean didn’t force the issue. He’d already given her so much to think about and process, and he couldn’t bring himself to compound her anguish with the unvarnished truth of her father’s fraudulent past—which tied to all the evidence pointing to Russo’s current scam.
“Let me take you home,” Sean said, knowing there was nothing left to say.
“No, I think you’ve done enough,” she said, the double meaning in her words slicing him to the core. “I’ll find my own way home.”
Clearly, she wasn’t going anywhere alone with him, so he escorted her back up to the casino, where she insisted on heading back to the nightclub on her own. He watched her go, and as soon as she walked into Taboo, Sean reluctantly headed up to Caleb’s office, where he was no doubt waiting to talk to his employee after what had happened with Davenport.